The following article features a leading artist who is teaching others how to paint through online workshops at PaintTube.tv.
By Lon Brauer
This multi-painting exercise works in the studio and in the field. Here’s a look at a few of the simple subjects I’ve painted over and over in my quest to build familiarity and to learn more about my own my artistic voice.
Subject: Apples
Apples 1: I arranged two apples on a table and set a timer for 15 minutes. I didn’t think, I just made two circles and filled them in. It wasn’t about making art; it was about learning how to paint. I did it and moved on.
Apples 2: Second time around … same time limit, more paint. I made some of the same marks and found new ones as I explored the subject further.
Apples 3: On the third one, I picked up the pace — 10 minutes this time. The purpose was not to be fast, but rather to be intuitive in my painting. I didn’t dilly-dally. Each one from here on got better and better through repetition. The more I did, the more confident I became.
Apples 4: To push the boundaries, I switched to pastel for this one.
Subject: Trees
Aspens 1: I painted this series from a photo reference. The first one is loose but still literal in execution. In hindsight, I spent too much time on this first go.
Aspens 2: The second time around, I moved quicker, using more fluid marks and a slightly different color palette.
Aspens 3: By this one I started to hit my stride. I spent about 30 minutes and used much bigger brushes. As I gained confidence, the work began to take on a loose, abstract persona.
Aspens 4: Number four was a lot of fun. Is it a good painting? I don’t know, but it shows the progression that can happen once we get out of our own way. Perhaps on number five I will pull back a bit. And that’s the point of this exercise: compare and assess, then move forward.
Subject: Water
Surf 1: I did this piece in 20 minutes en plein air. I worked from direct observation as well as pulled from what I know looks good.
Surf 2: I set the pace with the first piece and did the second right after it. At this stage, the subject revealed things I didn’t see with the first one.
Surf 3: I set up at the same location on a different day. Although I could almost paint the scene from memory at that point, having it in front of me gave validity to the painting. For this piece, memory and observation worked in tandem.
Surf 4: On this occasion I pulled out my pastels to see if I could capture something similar to the oil versions.
Discover How To Paint Portraits and Figures That Move & Breathe With Lon Brauer’s Award-Winning “Expressive Realism” Approach!
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your approach to painting!
Get your copy of “Lon Brauer: Portraits – Painting with Movement” here.
